Bellator MMA: Kimbo Slice Has Reportedly Signed With Viacom Promotion

Remember when many hardcore fans groaned with annoyance, upon Bellator’s announcement that it had signed Tito Ortiz to battle Stephan Bonnar last November? Well, that crew better be prepared to do so again…

Yes, according to multiple reports, Bellator has signed none other that Kimbo Slice to a new contract. The news was reported first by Combat Press.com, and since then, other outlets like MMA Fighting.com and MMA Junkie.com have also confirmed the deal. The 40 year-old’s signing is expected to be announced during tonight’s Bellator 132 broadcast.

Now, if you’re a total newbie to combat sports, and have never searched “street fighting” on Youtube, then you may be clueless as to who Slice is (his real name is Kevin Ferguson). Slice became an internet star several years ago, due to a series of bare knuckle, boxing matches he participated in, which went viral online. Then, Slice signed with Elite XC, and was a driving force in creating big ratings for the doomed promotion, before he competed on TUF 10.

After Slice was stopped by Matt Mitrione at UFC 113, in May, 2010, he moved into pro-boxing. The heavyweight went 7-0 while doing so, but has evidently decided to move back into MMA.

As noted above, many MMA purists likely won’t embrace this news, but when you consider that Ortiz-Bonnar drew over 2 million viewers for Bellator and Spike, it’s not hard to figure out why this is happening.

Aside from tonight’s ‘big announcement’, the main reason you should tune into watch Bellator 132 is because it will feature a bout between featherweight champ Patricio “Pitbull” and former champ, Daniel Straus. The two fought once before in 2011, and “Pitbull” scored a UD win.

Bellator 132 will go down at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, and the main card will be broadcast on Spike.